DERA GHAZI KHAN, Oct 5: The local cemetery, which is one of the earliest establishments of the city, is fast fading into oblivion due to alleged negligence of the authorities concerned.

After the city was devoured by high waters of the Sindh river in the last decade of the 19th century, the then British rulers planned to rehabilitate the people of the old city that was founded by Baloch Sardar Haji Khan Merani Dodai after his son's name Ghazi Khan in the 15th century.

The British rulers first of all established Cantonment and other offices on the site of the new city. A cemetery, which later came to known as Gora Qabristan, is among those earliest establishments.

An establishment having a significance in the history of the city has unfortunately fallen a victim to negligence, as neither the district administration nor dwellers of the city is willing to take care of it.

There is no proper arrangement for water and electricity at the cemetery. Unkempt bushes and grass give it an ugly look. Worse still, the cemetery is not spared by land grabbers.

Among the graves of the local Christians are those of British officers - Henry Rosber (the PWD assistant engineer who died on May 6, 1887), Thomas Leich Prescort (died Aug 1895), Harry James Eldridge (an executive engineer who died on June 21, 1906), John Amber cromby (who died in 1885) and Arthur Sandman Stephen (a young assistant commissioner of Rajanpur who died in March 1898). Most of the graves are in a bad condition.

Stretching over 26 kanal and 13 marlas, the cemetery is without its demarcation and boundary wall. After the departure of the British from the city at the time of partition, it remained neglected. It was also being used for the burial of unidentified people by the Dera municipality, which was criticized by the Christians.

It is pertinent to mention here that four general councillors in urban UC No 4 and three councillors each in district and tehsil councils are struggling to protect the last abode by renovating it and raising a boundary wall around it. However, neither District Nazim Jamal Khan Leghari nor Tehsil Nazim Asim Zubair Khosa is paying attention to look into their demand.

The only work done here during the last over five decades is the construction of a room at the cemetery to offer last rituals. The project was carried out last year by a UC Nazim.

A member of the Christian community told Dawn on the request of anonymity that either the district government had devoured the funds, which had been allocated for the renovation of the cemetery, or those had lapsed. He said the holy cross perched on the entrance was broken by unknown people, which was unbearable for the community.

When contacted, District Nazim Jamal Leghari said the district government was not authorized to allocate funds for the cemetery. However, he said, the legislators did not have any such bar.

He claimed that the district government had written several times to the planning development wing to map out a clear-cut policy in this regard, but it has yet to respond.